In today's homes you will often find more than one type of floor - Carpet, Tile, Wood, and Wood Laminate. All of these coverings need special attention if they are to last including Wood & Wood Laminate. Proper care of your floor prevents damage, extends its life and keeps it looking new for years. So, how do you properly care for your Wood & Wood Laminate Flooring?

If you enjoy going barefoot or even if you don't, kick your shoes off at the door. Why remove your shoes? A closer look at the bottom of your shoes and you'll find oil, dirt and heaven only knows how many tidbits of left over dog deposits. Small wonder why your floor stubbornly refuses to come clean. Do wear slippers or socks inside. On the bottom of each foot the average person has over 250,000 sweat glands that release oils and dirt into your floors.

1). Always vacuum or dust hard floors surfaces before mopping. You can use a "dry mop" with a sprits of water or a vacuum cleaner that does NOT have a breaker bar. If you already own a ShopVac this is a good place to use it.

2). Clean your wood floors with a 1/2 cup of white distilled vinegar in a gallon of water. If you have been using vegetable oil on your floor double the amount of vinegar to (1) cup per gallon of water. Go over your floor several times to remove the residue with warm water and dry. Vegetable oil cleaners leave a residue on wood floors that can deteriorate the sealant over time.

3). Dampen a towel in the above mixture and wring out all the excess moisture. Use a towel as your mop. No need to rinse, but make sure to dry the floor with a clean "dry mop" or possible a fan. If you over wet the floor you could warp the wood - ruining the floor. LESS IS MORE!

4). AVOID USING AMMONIA (Windex) type cleaners. Ammonia is used to strip the wax off floors. It may do the same to the sealant on most laminate floors.

5). If these steps do not return the lustre of your once beautiful floors it may be time to bring in a professional and have the floor professionally cleaned, resurfaced, and protected. If you need this type of help give us a call at (916) 525-2456.

Until Next Time

Michael Hull

Watch Out - This Toy May Ruin Your Carpets:

While watching TV the other day with my kids, Jordan & Katie, I saw a commercial advertising a new toy called "Fun Slides". It is a simple device, made from hard plastic and velcro. You strap it to the bottom of your shoe, or foot, using the velcro strap, then you run down the hallway and slide your way into the living room. It probably is a lot of fun for the kids but it will damage your carpets.

When a person runs across the floor then slides across the carpet they are creating a tremendous amount of friction and heat which will damage the carpet. A tremendous amount of Force is placed on the carpet, not to mention the padding, and over time the carpet will become matted and the color will be permanently damaged. Residential carpets were NOT designed to be run on. Not to mention the potential for collateral damage - knocking over vases, planters, etc.

I am sure this toy is fun to play with not to mention the amount of exercise your children will be receiving while using it. However, I do not believe the average home is the best place for it. Maybe an auditorium were there are open spaces, or maybe a church hall. I hope this review has been helpful to you. If you have questions please feel free to give me a call at (916) 525-2456.

Until Next Time -

Michael Hull

Cost of Government Day!

The government burden on the average worker has grown about $1 Trillion over the past year, and if time is money, Americans are working longer to pay their taxes.

We're all familiar with the saying "working for the man". If "the man" is Uncle Sam, Wednesday, August 12 is the day the average American would earn his or her financial freedom. It marks "Cost of Government Day" or the day calculated each year when the average American is done paying off or her share of the cost of government.

What does it mean? Imagine if you had to turn over your entire paycheck to the government all year until you paid off your share of federal, state and local taxes. If that were the case, August 12, would be the last day you'd have to work for Uncle Sam. This year, Cost of Government Day, fell nearly a month later, 26 days to be exact - then it did last year.  But cost of government is not limited to taxes. It also applies to government imposed regulations.

What has all this got to with cleaning - NOTHING. I just thought you would like to know that you are Free At Last! At least until January 1, 2010 when it starts all over again.

What is the best way to clean carpet? The carpet manufacturers are almost unanimous: Hot Water Extraction, or more commonly called steam cleaning. Shaw Industries, the world's largest carpet manufacturer, recommends only hot water extraction. Truck-mount units are preferable since portable units don't have the same suction power, water psi, or heat capacity. The portable units were originally designed for high rise office buildings were you have commercial grade carpeting with no padding.

There are several variations of a method called Dry Cleaning. It's worth mentioning that none of these methods rinsing your carpet when finished. Can you imagine what your laundry would feel and look like if it didn't have a rinse cycle. One method uses a foam that dries in your carpet and is then vacuum up. It is debatable whether all the residue is extracted from the carpet.

Another variation of Dry Cleaning uses a large bottom that spins. This is suppose to absorb the dirt in your carpet. Obviously, there are some questions as to how deeply this method can clean your carpet. If you have ever tried to clean up a spill by rubbing a towel over the carpet area then you have some idea why this method is questionable. Finally, there is a compound that looks like wet saw dust. A machine brushes this into your carpet, where the dirt is suppose to adhere to it. When it is dry, it is vacuumed out.

STEAM CLEANING CARPET:

The correct term us hot water extraction (it looks like steam) and it is the best way to clean carpet. A good truck mount hot water extraction unit forces hot water into the carpet under high pressure (300-500psi), and then sucks it out thoroughly. This method has the following advantages:

1). The high heat used kills bacteria, fungus, mold, and dust mites; Above 118 degrees Fahrenheit, every 18 degree rise changes chemical reactivity by 100%. We typically clean carpets between 180-220 degrees Fahrenheit. It it worth noting that bacteria will die at 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

2). Done correctly it won't leave a residue that can actually attract dirt and ultimately damage your carpet;

3). High pressure rinsing cleans carpet more deeply;

4). A strong vacuum system will clean the carpet deeper and will dry out faster.

Bottom line it is just the best way to clean carpet, rugs, and upholstery.

If you have questions about this article please give me a call at (916) 525-2456.

Michael Hull